Screw driver



June 3o, 1959 HGHOLT 2,892,477

SCREW DRIVER Filed Aug. 2, 195'? I L"I1....."1..."'II.""""II".'I

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United States Patent SCREW DRIVER Harlow G. Holt, Medford, Oreg.

Application August 2, 1957, Serial No. 675,885

1 Claim. (Cl. 145-50) This invention relates to manually operable tools and, more specifically, to a screw driving device.

It is well known that modern automobiles are being more compactly constructed and the assembly line technique for structurally assembling the vehicle engines and other component elements of the automobile have led to the inevitable placement of adjusting screws and Fbolts in positions which are difficult if not almost inaccessible for a mechanic to reach with conventional tools such as, for example, screw drivers and the socket wrenches. Hence, one of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a mechanics screw driver or socket wrench for extension into areas not accessible by conventional similar tools having elongated, straight shanks.

Another object of this invention is to provide a manually operable meohanics tool such as the screw driver, nut wrench, reamer, drill, or the like, having an elongated, substantially rigid shank provided with an offset or lateral extension rotatably supporting the work` engaging means and a flexible drive cable or shaft extending from the work engaging means through said offset portion and the shank for connection with a manually manipulative knob.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanics tool of the type referred to above, which is noncomplex in construction and assembly, -inexpensive to manufacture, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in the light of the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a screw driver constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention; and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, cross-sectional view of the tool ilustrated in Figure 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral designates, in general, a screw driver constructed in accordance with this invention. The screw driver 10 is seen to comprise an elongated substantially hollow cylindrical shank 12 having a laterally offset extension 14. The shank 12 and the extension 14 are preferably formed of steel tubing and the angle made by the oset extension 14 with respect to the shank 12 is such as to permit easy accessibility as to the work to be performed by the tool.

A iiexible cable or drive shaft 16 extends through the shank 12, the offset portion 14, and one end thereof extends axially through a manually manipulative knob 18. The shaft 16 is rigidly secured to the knob 18 by any conventional means, such as, for example, welding 20. The knob 18 has a reduced end 22 having a cylinice drical bore 24 extending inwardly from the outer end thereof in which is received one end of the shank 12.

A screw driver bit 26 is provided with a substantially cylindrical boss 28 having a bore 30 extending inwardly from the outer end thereof. The other end of the iiexible cable or shaft 16 is ixedly secured within the bore 3i) by conventional means.

As is seen in Figure 2, the outer end of the boss 28 abuts against :the outer end of the oifset portion 14 and is journaled for rotation in one end of a hollow cylindrical `bearing sleeve 32 having its other end telescoped over the outer end of the offset portion 14 and ixedly secured thereto by conventional means.

An arcuately shaped handle 34 is connected to the shank 12 adjacent the knob 18 to facilitate the handling of the tool 10.

It should now lne apparent that with the tool bit 26 engaging the work to be performed, rotation of the knob 1S will eiiect rotation of the shaft 16 which, in turn, will drive or rotate -the bit 26.

While the invention described and illustrated herein utilizes a screw driver bit, it will he appreciated by those skilled in this art that other tools could be substituted therefor such as, for example, the tools named above without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only rby the scope of the appended What is claimed is:

A hand tool comprising an elongated substantially hollow cylindrical shank having a laterally offset extension at one end thereof, a substantially hollow cylindrical bearing sleeve telescoped over said offset extension and rigidly secured thereto, said sleeve having an end portion thereof projecting beyond the outer end of said extension, a screw driver bit having a substantially cylindrical boss projecting from one end thereof, said boss having a bore extending inwardly from the outer end thereof, said projecting end of said bearing sleeve receiving therein said boss with the outer end of said boss engaging against the outer end of said extension, a knob mounted for rotation on the other end of said shank, said knob having a reduced hollow end to receive therein a portion of the other end of said shaft, said knob being of substantially hexagonal outer configuration in order that said knob will be readily engageable in a wrench type tool, an arcuately shaped open handle having its respective ends secured to said shank adjacent said knob, a iiexible drive shaft, said shaft having one of its ends iixedly secured within said bore formed in said boss and the end thereof extending through said extension, said shank and said knob, and means iixedly securing said other end of said shaft to said knob for rotation therewith whereby the rotation of said knob will result in a corresponding rotation of said screw driver bit.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 

